Newberry Asylum
by Psycho Kitty
Summary: AU. This is what happens when you give people at an asylum the Internet.
1. Default Chapter

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


I'm not going to say much except that I don't own them. I'm a poor college student. -_-; 

Anyway. Yah. Lanuage and other things are in here. This is AU (like most of my stuff). 

And I am a fan of 2xH. Other than that . . . 

Enjoy and Review! 

  
  
  
  



	2. I

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Imagine.

Everything that makes you who you are, is now gone. Your friends, home, and family are no longer here. Instead you find yourself in a new home, a different town. A town where everyone knows everyone and you are well known more than others. You are the youngest of two, a star child with perfect grades, manners, and life. You are going to follow in your father's footsteps as he did his father and so on. You are going into psychology and help your brother take over the family business, a Mental Ward. But don't worry. You have to finish college before you do any of that. Oh, and high school. But don't fret, you have time. Just don't forget to study hard. Don't spend too much time with your friends. In fact, only go out on Sundays. This way you have six whole days to study. And be mindful of how you act. People are watching and you are from a highly respected family. Don't want to scuff the family name by childish acts. Ok. Got it all? Good. Now welcome to Hilde Schbeicker's life.

Newberry Asylum Chapter I 

"I was always told I'd be here one day, ever since I could remember. Funny. I never thought it would be this way!"

"And what way is that my dear?" Hilde leans back on the couch as she draws her legs closer to her chest. Her breathing becomes heavy. Dr. Po stills herself as she watches the young girl gathers her limbs closer to her body.

"I can't take it any more! I think I'm losing it! Ah!" Hilde balls herself up as she forces a panic attack upon herself. Dr. Po rushes to her side.

"What is it? Hilde what's happening?" Hilde grabs the doctor's shoulders and shakes her.

"I can't take it any more! I want it all to end!!" Hilde falls back on the couch and drapes an arm over her eyes. "Why oh why! Someone take me way! Death! Come to me!" 

"Hilde, please! Your parents won't like hearing about this! You don't want to die! Now what is it that we can do to make you better?" Hilde peaks at the good doctor. A sly smile crosses her lips.

"Wendy's." She croaks out.

"Who?"

"Uh, not who!" Hilde sits up, annoyed. "Wendy's! You know. Spicy Chicken sandwich with a Mr. Pebb!" Dr. Po crosses her arms over her chest.

"Hilde! I thought you where going to kill yourself!"

"Oh. No. I hate the sight of blood." Hilde now sits up and plays with the rim of her hospital gown. She has been in Newberry for over two years. Ever since her breakdown at the end of her junior year in high school.

"Really now." Dr. Po walks back over to her chair. "I heard about you." Dr. Po. Dr. Sally Po, is new at Newberry. Only been here for a month. The other doctors gave her Hilde as a test. Because if you can survive Hilde, then you have it made. "I know how you really aren't insane. You just act like it."

"Really? And here I thought it was the pudding along! Damn pudding. Why must you be so good!?"

"You act sane but every time you go before the board you flip out!" The Board. Here at Newberry, all patients must go through them in order to advance or to leave. You can't move anywhere without their consent. "Then they throw you back here and we start all over again!" 

"Eh . . ." 

"Hilde. Why don't you want to leave?"

"Drugs."

"WHAT?"

"And pudding. Very good pudding. Have you had any?" Dr. Po glares at her. "Guess not. That's not a happy pudding face."

"Hilde. If you are not going to behave and take these sessions then I have no other choice but to ask you to leave." Hilde stares at the doctor. "You may go." And with a flash, Hilde is out the door. Sally sighs and gets ready for her next patient.

"Boy oh boy! What a bore!" Hilde says as she walks down the hall to her room. She swings her arms as she takes big steps down the hall. As Hilde walks she takes the time to look into each room she passes. At daytime all doors must stay open. When Hilde comes to her room she comes to a stop with a hop. She turns to enter but stops when she sees a certain blond sitting at her computer.

"Uh . . ." She says, getting his attention.

"My Internet is down." The blond simple says. Hilde shrugs and leaps onto her bed.

"Very well. Knock yourself out." 

"You know they'll send you back to the 'Resort'." He says knowing perfectly well that sessions last for about two hours. Hilde has only been gone eighteen minutes. 

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever Quatre." The 'Resort' is another name for the metal ward. Hilde's parents think calling it that would make it seem like a better place and boost people's esteem. Newberry Asylum is the second part of the Resort. Here you aren't as watched and drugged as you would be over there. Plus you get free days once a month, meaning you are aloud to leave campus grounds. 

"I'd listen to him if I were you." 

"Hello Amy." Amy has been at Newberry for ten months now. She arrived here after her six-year stay at the 'Resort'. Amy is of Irish blood and that can be seen with her bright red hair and pail skin kissed all over with freckles. She is a short woman but not someone to overlook. She'll beat the snot out of you if you rub her the wrong way. The woman has poor eyesight, a sight she wasted away in countless hours making clothes for her four little girls. But her hearing picks up where her vision lacks. Which works for the best for her seeing how Amy is a very noisy person. She has the need to know everything and does seem to do a good job because she _does_ know everything.

"Hilde." Amy simple states. The two aren't friends but they aren't enemies either. Just acquaintances. "I see you have been to the new doctor. How is he?"

"She. Her name is Dr. Po." Hilde gets off her bed and heads for the bathroom. The purpose of Newberry Asylum is to work patients back into the 'real' world. The place has six floors and thirty bedrooms on each. Hilde's room is on the corner so her room is a little bigger and has it's own bath. Some rooms have showers; some even have little kitchens (They really aren't kitchens, just a fridge and some counter space with cupboards.) while others don't have any. The point is to get people to interact with others and to learn to share, a skill that seems to get lost when leaving the 'Resort'. "I'm taking a bath now. Later."

"Oh fine. Don't talk about the new doctor."

"She couldn't tell you if she wanted to. Hilde didn't stay long."

"Still. Oh well. I guess all that really matters is knowing the sex." Quatre turns to look at the offending redhead.

"And why is that important?"

"I just need to know if it's some hot doctor guy. Oh why can't any of the doctors here be hot? Like it the TV shows."

"Aren't you married?" Hilde says as she sits down in the tub. The doors are thin so Hilde can still hear them.

"I can still have hot doctors working on me." Amy laughs as she hears Hilde's side comment about it being a fat chance. She looks over at Quatre and sees he is no longer paying attention. Sighing she looks out Hilde's window. It's a bright summer day out and Amy can see the iron fence that blocks the outside world. Just outside the gate is a sidewalk that follows alongside the fence until the fence turns down the ways. A road lies next to the sidewalk and next to that is old neighborhood. And in there lives Hilde's family. But none of that matters to Amy. What does is a young man of twenty. He walks down the sidewalk with big strong steps and uses a cane to help walk (He has an odd limp.). In his hands he holds what appears to be an ice cream cone. Amy opens the window to stick her head out to look at the man better. But she didn't need to look any further for the man has a long braid. Amy only knows one man who can pull that hairstyle off. 

"Oh Hilde . . ." She says sweetly. "Looks like you boy is back!" Hilde sits up more as she tries to think of who her 'boy' can be. Then suddenly, like a flash she jumps out of the tub and wraps a towel around herself as she rushes to the window.

"Duo . . ." She growls. Her nemesis.

Duo Maxwell. Hilde and Duo have been fighting since the day they first met. And it was at a third grade picnic held on the first day of school. It was to welcome the students back and have them met each other. Hilde and Duo met up on the swing set. She said 'Hello' and he just stared at her, holding a lollypop newly moistened by his mouth. Annoyed by his silence Hilde turned to leave, but before she could Duo slammed the lollypop on her head and rolled it around until it was stuck to her hair. From that moment on the two have been at it. They always did pranks on each other, always trying to top the other. It went all the way to high school. Until one day Duo didn't come to school. He never did return to school, leaving around the middle of ninth grade. But Hilde still got surprises in her locker so she never questioned it. Yet she did become concerned one day, the summer before her breakdown, when she saw him walking down the street. He walked with a cane and had an odd limp. 

"That bum. What's he up to now?" Hilde blocks the sun's rays with her right hand, while her left keeps the towel in place. But seeing how this isn't helping her see better she grabs for a small telescope on her nightstand.

"They let you have that?" Amy says in wonder. The staff usually takes any outside things from the patients.

"Yeah." Hilde says as she holds it up to her eye. "My father gave it to me long before I came here. It's some thing to pass on to my kids. My other brothers have one as well."

"How nice."

"Bastard! He's eating ice cream! An cookie dough no less!" Hilde compacts the lens and tosses it to Amy. "YOU BUM! DON'T YOU HAVE A JOB? OR! HOW ABOUT A LIFE!!!" You don't need a telescope to tell that Duo is laughing and enjoying every moment of his little game of torture. "Cookie dough is my favorite!" She says in a pout. 

"Flash him." 

"W-what?"

"You heard me! Flash the guy. Come on Hilde!" Amy leans out the window a bit to look at Duo with the telescope. "I would."

"Yeah. I bet you would! And no I am NOT flashing him or any one!"

"Fine." Amy smiles at Hilde. "I will!"

"WHAT!" Hilde dive-bombs Amy before she could move. "NO! DON'T YOU DARE!!!"

"What the hell is going on in here?" Both women stop their fighting and look at the young nurse. Her name is Sarah and she is a nurse in training. She is a little shorter than Hilde, with light brown hair tied in a bun and lucky green eyes. The kind of eyes guys just seem to love. "Why am I not surprised to see that the loudest room here is yours Hilde?" Hilde glares at Sarah. If there is one thing Hilde hates more than anything in the world it would be getting orders from someone younger than her. Sarah is only 18 whereas Hilde is 20.

"Sorry Sarah. Amy was just leaving." Amy huffs in disappointment but gets up anyway.

"Not good enough Schbeicker. Everyone needs to go." The room falls silent as all eyes cast on the forgotten boy on Hilde's computer. He has been so quite that Amy and Hilde have forgot about him. Sarah walks to him and touches his shoulder but she gets no response. He is so engrossed in what he is reading that there is no real world. Just the ones described in the pages of the story. Sarah adds a little more pressure to her grip and with a bolt Quatre is awaken.

"W-what?" Tears rim his eyes as he looks at the young nurse. Hilde walks up to him.

"Hey. You ok?" He looks at her oddly but wipes his eyes clean.

"Yes. It's just a really good story."

"Right. Well it's time for you all to leave Hilde's room. So say your good byes . . ."

"Geez Sarah. They just live down the hall." Hilde says as she retreats to finish her bath.  Sarah is about to say something when she sees Duo at the gate. Walking over she asks who he is.

"Oh." Says Amy, happy to answer. "That's Hilde's man. He just came by to get a free peep show."

"WHAT?" Both Sarah and Hilde say. Amy laughs as she walks out the room, taking a confused Quatre with her.

"Hilde." Sarah growls at her. 

"I was not going to! I . . . Don't even like him!" A light shines on Sarah's face.

"Really? OK then. I guess you won't mind me telling him to go away." 

"Fine." Her voice is flat in attempt to try and show she didn't really care. 

"Forever." Sarah laughs knowing all too well that Hilde won't say anything in fear of letting her feelings escape. She walks down the end of the hall and pushes the button for the elevator. Sarah takes the time to check herself in the reflection on the doors. As she enters, Sarah thinks of what she is going to say to the cute man with the braid and cane.

After her cold bath and dinner (with pudding of course) Hilde heads back to her room for bed. She doesn't care much for the games in the Game Room. Well, the real reason is because she was band from ever play any of the games ever since she played 'Battle Chess'. Instead of putting 'killed' pieces to the side, they where really 'killed'. Smashed, crushed whatever Hilde could come up with. The game room would became a wasteland for the scattered remains of the poor chess pieces. After that Hilde was kicked out and had to find other ways to amuse herself. Which usually is her paying a visit to Quatre. 

Quatre Winner. Age 18. An odd boy. Hilde has yet to figure him out which is why she loves to talk to him. She always learns something new about him. Like how he loves to read stories online, or how he can't sleep on a bed unless it is made. He is very kind and soft-spoken. Hilde is his only friend here (Something the doctors are bewildered by.). He talks to her and often finds haven in her room (seeing how Hilde always tends to run her roommates off). He doesn't talk about why he is here, not even to Hilde, but finds solace in reading an online 'Murder Mystery' written by Author. Hilde has seen him reading it countless times but never really had the need to read it for herself. However, Hilde believes that whatever lies in that story, leads to the reason for Quatre being here. And he has been here long. Hilde only stayed at the 'Resort' for two weeks whereas he stayed for three years. Quatre is on his second month here at Newberry.

"Hey Jeff." Quatre's roommate. "Is Quatre here?" 

"Sorry Hilde. He's sleeping."

"Really?" Jeff nods. "Ok. See ya."

"Bye Hilde."

Bored out of her mind she decides she'll follow Quatre's lead and go to bed as well. She turns off all the lights but the soft hum of the monitor tells her she needs to turn off her screen. As she moves the mouse the 'Murder Mystery' comes up and for a moment, Hilde almost read it. She does want to know why Quatre was crying after reading this. Maybe it really did relate to him being here? No. Hilde decides not to read and turns off the computer. Lying on her bed she curls up around her pillow and takes a deep breath. Sleep. One of Hilde's favorite things to do. Hilde hugs her pillow but instead of feeling soft sheets her hand runs over something else. Hilde lifts up her pillow and sees a note. With one quick look around the room, Hilde opens it.

"BOO."

She didn't know how but she knew that Duo Maxwell had entered her room. The war continues.


	3. II

Newberry Asylum Chapter II 

"Hey Hilde." Came the quiet voice of Quatre. Hilde makes a small noise of acknowledgment. She sits on the edge of her bed staring out her window. It's raining today. As she watches the rain she lightly taps the little note on her bottom lip. Silently she wonders.  How in the hell did he get in?

"You ok?" Quatre now sits next to her. She lets out a deep sigh and turns to him.

"If you were from there . . ." She nods her head to the outside world. "And wanted to come in but not stay. How would you do it." Quatre thinks about this, not really knowing what she is getting at.

"Uh, I would say I have a friend or family that I wanted to visit."

"Nah. That wouldn't work. You'll have to get a doctor's note to be let in."

"Well. I'd guess I'd . . . "

"Hey." A nurse pops her head in. "I want the computer off. It's a thunderstorm." The two nod and Quatre heads for the computer. But before he turns it off he prints off some pages, from his 'Murder Mystery' no doubt.

"Come as a janitor?" Hilde says, still on her earlier topic.

"No. They live on campus."

"Then how?"

"Hilde. Why do you want to know?" He watches as the printer spits out page after page.

"Duo left me a note and I want to know how!"

"Oh." Quatre stiffens at the name. Before he came over Amy had stopped him to deliver her daily dose of gossip.

"What?" Hilde says as she looks to her friend. He keeps his back to her as he grabs the pages from the printer. "Quatre?" She says again. He turns off the computer and laughs as he heads out the door.

"N-nothing. It's just I need to go."

"You know how don't you!" She stands up and rushes the blond. "How did he do it!"

"How did who do what?" Says Sarah. Quatre pails as he hears her voice and suddenly the connection clicks with Hilde. Her eyes darken and she steps away.

"Nothing." She grumbles. Sarah shrugs and walks away. Quatre lets out a deep breath. "It's so like him to do something like this."

"I think it's kind of sweet. In a weird, morbid kind of way."

"What? Go out with Sarah to get a free trip in? How is that sweet?"

"I said it was in a weird, morbid way." Hilde crosses her arms over her chest as she sits down on her bed. "Come on. Let's forget about it and let me share you this story." He hands the papers over. "It's quite good. The writer writes so vividly that you almost feel it's real. Almost like they lived through it too." The last sentence comes out as a whisper. Hilde takes the pages and looks at her friend. A shadow crosses over his eyes as he recalls his hidden past. Hilde says a small 'ok' and watches Quatre move down to sit on the floor. Hilde follows, with her back to her bed and his to the wall across from her. An empty feeling fills his stomach as he sees Hilde start to read. Never has he told anyone what happened to him. The doctors only know what the police knew and that isn't much. They weren't there. Quatre could never tell anyone. He can barely tell himself! That's why he reads this 'Murder Mystery'. Author, the writer's pen name, writes with such detail at the reader can almost feel the pain, see the blood and know the horror. Quatre looks up at Hilde's eyes and can see the shocked look on her face. Yes, Author must have witnessed a murder. Like he did.

"Uh, this is sick." Hilde says as she looks at the blond. "How can you read this?" But he didn't need to answer. Hilde could see in his eyes he is trying to show her his own pain. She remembers Dr. Une, the head doctor at Newberry, telling her that some people find comfort in reading or seeing others in situations they have experience. "Quatre?"

"I was coming home from school." He says quietly. Tears rim is eyes. "I-I came home and . . ." Hilde places the papers down and hugs her dear friend. She rocks him back and forth telling him he doesn't need to tell her. "But I need to tell someone!" He pushes back. Hilde returns to her sitting potion and smiles at him. 

"Well I'm honored that you would consider telling me."

"You never asked."

"What?"

"When I came here. That's all people ever did was ask me why. You never did." He smiles up at her. "Remember the first thing you asked me?" Hilde scratches her head in hopes of remembering. Then it dawned on her.

"Uh . . ." She says shyly. "Are you going to eat that pudding?" Quatre bursts out laughing as he remembers it too. How could he forget? He had just come from a three hour meeting with the board and was placed in Newberry. The moment he got here everyone was asking him this and that and he almost had it, until Hilde slid in the seat next to him and flashed him a smile. He readied himself for another bombardment of questions but instead he got: 'Are you going to eat that pudding?'

" Hilde you are the best you know?"

"Aw Quatre! You're making me blush." The two laugh and both really feel good. Quatre knowing he can tell his secret and Hilde knowing someone needed her. After the laughter died down it became silent. Hilde wanted him to make the next move. And he did. "Did you finish it?" She blinks and suddenly remembers the 'Murder Mystery'.

"Oh, not yet." With a sigh she takes the papers and continues to read. Quatre is right. The writer goes into heavy detail. But a cold chill runs down her spine. Did this 'Author' really go through something this horrible? 

Confined in the pages is a tail about a murder, called by 'Author', Killer. And Killer is some guy who went into a small bakery one day and saw himself a girl, called Smiles. For some reason he hated this girl. She did nothing to him but something about her really made him mad. Mad enough to kill her in the most brutal way. And now Killer is on the run from Smile's brother, called AP (Apple Pie).  Author's reasoning behind this name is because the brother is described as tall, strong, and handsome with blue eyes and blond hair. Making him a suitor for the title: 'As American as Apple Pie'. Back to the story. Killer is leaving little notes for AP to follow him, slowly torturing the poor man. AP doesn't know what Killer looks like and Author never describes him. There are moments where Killer would be sitting is a café sipping coffee only a few feet away from AP. 

Now in the story AP has become obsessed with finding Killer and Killer is enjoying the show it makes. Hilde can't tell if Author is for Killer or against because they make fun of AP so bad, talking about how the poor soul hasn't shaved or cut his hair or nails in over a year! And how he has became paranoid about everyone he meets. 

Further down the story Hilde reads how Killer has now taken a new victim, this one called Test. The woman is strong willed and Killer is trying his best to break her. So far he hasn't, maybe the only thing keeping her alive. But Hilde reads on and finds that Test has a brother as well. It seems that Killer is done with AP, finding him boring, and seems to like this one a little better. Author describes him in a better light than AP is. His name is Baby. He is a quite boy with handsome green eyes and hair with a mind of it's own, covering half of his face. Baby is described as a guy Hilde could fall for. But he too is being lead around by Killer and is slowly turning out like AP. Hilde sighs as she continues. The Author's words hang heavy on her. The people seem real, almost too real for her liking. 

Quatre watches as Hilde reads more. The room is quiet with the storm ragging in the background. Quatre takes a deep breath and listens to the rain and soft music? He sits up more and turns to the window. As he gazes out he can make out a form standing is the rain. He wares a black raincoat and holds a black umbrella. The man steadies himself with a cane. Quatre smiles as he can clearly see, even though the rain makes it hard to, that the man is Duo. Behind him is his car and he has the music blaring. 'Must be one of Hilde's favorite songs' thinks Quatre.

"Hey! I know that place." Says Hilde.  Quatre turns to look at her.

"What?"

"Come here." She waves him over and he complies. "See, that's our park!" Quatre takes the pages and sees that Author must have updated their story. The story now adds Killer coming to a new town. He has yet to break Test and Baby was coming to close so he had to run. Now Killer has left AP a note to follow but gave Baby a letter that instructed to go to Black Hills Park to find something of his sister's, a necklace. Quatre gasps as the Author writes their town with such detail that it has made Quatre believe that Author is somewhere in their little place on earth. He smiles with delight. Maybe he can met this 'Author'?

"Hilde?" 

"Yeah?"

"Have you used your free day yet?"

"No. Why?"

"Good. Cause we are going out tomorrow!" 

  
  
  
  


*Hee Hee* Thanks for the reviews! I'll write more tomorrow!


	4. III

Newberry Asylum Chapter III 

Hilde sunk low in her chair. It has been two years since she has been here. Things have changed, a lot. More homes and stores have popped up. This is a good thing because there are more people. New people. People who don't know her. 

Still she can't help but feel trapped. 

Hilde has no idea how Quatre convinced her to come. But somehow he did and now she is here sitting in a café surrounded by people. Hilde looks down at her clothes. God that was an odd phone call.

("Hey mom."  It has been two years and three weeks since she spoke to any of her family. Hilde cringes when she hears nothing. 'Maybe they forgot about me?')

("Hello Hilde." Came her mother's sweet voice. Hilde placed a hand over her mouth to stop her gasp and tears. It was so good to hear her mother's voice.  Shaking it off she talks.)

("Uh…I'm going to use a free day and will need some clothes." There is a long pause. "Can you bring something over?")

("I'll come over later today to drop something off.")

("Thanks…Mom.")

("Sure." Another long pause comes over them. "I guess you should go?")

("Yeah. I guess. Um, bye?")

("Good bye Hilde.")

A deep sigh escapes from Hilde as she sinks more into her seat. She looks up to Quatre who was enjoying a milkshake (Newberry gave them ten dollars each.). Beside him is the copy of the 'Murder Mystery'. After a few sips of his milkshake he would flip through the pages and then look around the room.

"Do you know what he looks like?"

"Um? Uh, no. I don't. But he wrote about the café here. I thought maybe he would be on a laptop." He looks around the room. "Or something." Hilde looks at the people and sees no one on a laptop. 

"Maybe they are at the park?" She says.

"Why?"

"Well." She sits up to lean closer to him. "They did leave off with the letter to Baby to instruct him to go to the park. Maybe they are there writing about what they are seeing?" His eyes light up and nods in agreement. So the two head off to Black Hills.

Black Hills is almost in the center of town. It's a large grassy park with rolling hills (great for skating), benches, trees and a manmade pound. Today the park is crowed with people. Yesterdays rain stopped them from enjoying the park so today they are making up for it.

"Let's see. There is the café." Quatre stands with his back to the parks entrance. He looks over the story to find the place where Killer was supposed to have left Test's necklace, a gold chain with a gold reef of roses shaped as a heart. "So the trashcan must be behind us." They both turn and there it is, the trashcan Baby is supposed to go to. They walk over to it and Hilde looks around to see if anyone could be this 'Author'. All she sees is mothers with their children, people walking their dogs, joggers but nothing else that got her. "Ok. Baby is supposed to walk seven steps toward the playground." He turns to face the play ground to the left of him and walks. Hilde rolls her eyes. Looking at her watch she see they have five minutes to meet Ed, the guy who drove them.

"Quatre. I don't want to be a pain but lets go. We have five minutes to meet Ed! Come on!" Quatre turns around quickly to say something but he trips on his one feet and falls face down on the ground. "QUATRE?!" Hilde rushes to his side. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I just tripped on something."

"Yeah your own feet!" Hilde laughs.

"No Hilde." He says in a scared voice. " I tripped on this." Hilde looks at his shoes and sees a gold chair wrapped around it. Hilde reaches over and picks it up. She holds it up so both can look at it. It is a gold chain with a gold reef of roses shaped as a heart dangling on it. "Oh boy." 

"Oh God Hilde! It's . . . it's . . ." 

"Oh no, oh no Quatre. I know what you are thinking. It's not…it can't be."

"Hey?" Both look up to see a woman with black thick curly hair that runs untamed down to her midsection. She smiles at them and offers to help. "You ok? You had a nasty fall!"

"Oh thank you." Says Quatre. Hilde smiles a thank you. She puts the necklace in her pocket.

"No problem young man." The woman turns around and returns to the bench she was sitting at. Hilde grabs Quatre's arm once the woman left.

"Come on. We need to go!" Hilde walks away but Quatre stays.

"Hilde!" He pleas. "It IS her necklace!" Hilde comes to a stop as Quatre walks to her. "We have to go to the police!" Hilde balls her fists up. How? How can they when they live at Newberry? They would laugh at them and they would both be sent back to the 'Resort'. No one will believe them. She doesn't even believe it herself so how can she convince the police that some psycho is posting their killings on the web? Hilde turns around to tell Quatre that it is all crazy and not real when she sees something. Someone.

"Quatre…L-look behind you." Quatre sees the fear in her eyes and does as she says. Slowly he turns and he too becomes scared.

"Baby." He whispers. A man around his 20's stands next to the trashcan. He is just like Author said he would be, tall, handsome, brown hair that covers over half of his face and green eyes. He turns around to look at the café, unaware that he is being watched. He looks to the playground and then takes seven steps. Hilde grabs the necklace in her pocket and Quatre holds his breath. There in front of him is a person he knows without even meeting. He knows this man's pain. He read everything this man has gone through. Suddenly Quatre feels sick.

Hilde licks her lips as she tries to think of what to do. But suddenly a hand grabs her shoulder and jerks her around. She lets out a scream, drawing the attention of Baby. 

He is kneeling on the ground looking for the necklace when Hilde's scream pulls him away. He watches as a large man turns her around. He has cold blue eyes and looks mad as hell. But that doesn't matter to him. What does is what came out of Hilde's pocket. 

"What in the hell are you doing?" Says the man.

"Ed!" Hilde squeaks. "Uh, we where uh…"

"Leaving?" Hilde hangs her head.

"But Ed!" Says Quatre. Hilde glares at him, telling him to be quiet. And for some reason he knows it's for the best.

"Move it you two. I swear. You act like you're five!" As the three leave Baby comes up to where Hilde stands. He watches them enter a car before looking down. Baby's eyes widen as he picks up the necklace.

"Catherine." He whispers.

"OhmyGod, OhmyGod! Oh my God! Hilde! It's all real!" Hilde sets on the edge of her tub. The bathroom is the only room where they can have the door closed. She rests her head in her hands. Quatre walks back and forth in front of her. "What we read is real!"

"I know." She whimpers. "It's all messed up! I mean, things like this shouldn't happen!"

"What are we going to do? We have to do something!"

"We can't tell the police but we can't just do nothing!"

"I'll leave a review on their story…"

"No Quatre. They might take it down. This story my be the only thing we have to stop them."

"We?" Quatre sees a new light. Yes! They should do it! If he can help Baby then maybe he can finally have his closer. "Yes! But how? We're stuck in here?" 

"On our other free day …"

"Hilde. That's a month away!"

"Yeah. We need to tell someone out there so they can go to the police!"

"Who?" Hilde thinks this over. Suddenly a flash of a charming smile, braid, cane and purple eyes comes to her.

"Duo."

"Ok. But how can we get to him?"

"We can ask for another free day if we have been really good."

"Really?" Quatre says as he opens the door. Hilde nods but stays where she is. They can ask but she hasn't been very good. 

Quatre runs to go find a nurse. Upon finding one he puts on his charm.

"Hey! Thanks for letting us go today. I had lots of fun. Almost forgot what the real world is like!"

"Why thank you Quatre. I'm glad you had fun."

"CanIhaveanotherfreeday?"

"W-what?"

"Can I have another free day? And Hilde too?" The nurse crosses her arms.

"Well, you have been good. But I don't know?"

"Please! I'll clean the whole hall!"

"Oh fine. How about next week?"

"We need it tomorrow!" Says Hilde as she walks to them.

"Hilde. You haven't been very good. I don't think you can go. Quatre yes. You? No."

"I'll take kitchen duty for a week!" The hall falls silent as Hilde; the I-will-never-get-off-my-ass-and clean Hilde says she will take kitchen duty for a week! The nurse's mouth hangs open from shock. Quatre smiles at his friend.

"Fine. If you take kitchen duty for the week you can go."

"Tomorrow?" They both say.

"Tomorrow." 

"Thanks!"  They run off together to Hilde's room.

"Wow, she really said ok." Hilde says with a smile. Quatre couldn't help himself and hugs her. Hilde stiffens, not knowing what to do.

"Thank you Hilde." He whispers. 

"What? For taking kitchen duty for a week so we can stop some killer?" She hugs him back. "Anytime Quatre. Anytime."

Hilde lies in her bed. They had tried to get online but the Internet was down again. Deciding it was a lost cause they called it a night. Yet Hilde can't sleep. She keeps thinking about AP, Baby and their sisters. How could a human do something so cruel? Hilde also thinks about Duo but her thoughts are cut off by a scream. She sits up. 

"Quatre?" Hilde runs out of her room, like the other patients. She sees nurses and doctors running into Quatre's room. "Quatre!" Hilde yells as she pushes people to the side to make her way. A nurse grabs her to prevent her from helping Quatre. Doctors pull him out and take him away. He fights with all his might, screaming and yelling.

"HE'S KILLING HER! HE'S GOING TO! HAVE TO STOP HIM!" Quatre locks eyes with Hilde. "HILDE!! HE'S KILLING HER!" He yells are the elevator's door closes. The nurse lets go and tells everyone to leave. Hilde just stands there, Quatre's words sinking in. She turns and runs back to her room and closes her door. She rushes to her computer and turns it on.

"Come on! Come on!" Once the computer is on she types in the address and the 'Murder Mystery' opens up. Hilde moves to the new chapter and starts to read. "He was there!" Author talks about Quatre and herself. "I'm not short!" She reads on but stops when it gets to Baby. The words where as if someone were describing their lover. They spoke fondly of him, about how he smelled good and everything. It was sick knowing that the killer was in their park fantasying about this poor guy. The same guy whose sister they have. 

Hilde reads on. She reads how the killer follows Baby until he enters his Motel and then they go drop a note to AP and laugh about him. Then the killer goes 'home'. They don't say what it is or where, just that it has white tiles. And they had said earlier that they love to see blood spilled on white tile.

"Oh God." Tears fill her eyes as she reads the last part.

(Killer watches her struggle. She still fights, even with a broken body. What a will. It will bring great pleasure to kill her. To watch her blood flow, free from their bondages of flesh. Killer smiles as they think of the white tile covered with her blood. But she isn't broken in mind, only in body. She truly is a 'test'.

Killer kneels down. 

Her death will make Killer even more powerful than Smiles did. But first she must be broken before the tiles can taste her blood. Killer will have to wait. 

They raise the knife.

Maybe the tiles can have a little taste.)

tbc…


	5. IV

Newberry Asylum Chapter IV 

Quatre has been taken back to the 'Resort', leaving Hilde alone. She paces around her, desperately trying to figure a way out of this mess. 

"I can't do this alone!" Hilde runs her hands through her hair. Her whole body shakes as she realizes there is no other way but to walk alone on this, unless she can convince Duo to help. Hell, she needs to find Duo first!

"Hey girl. Sorry about Quatre." Hilde spins around to see Amy at her door.

"Amy."  She breathes her name, making the other woman nerves. "You…Have to help me get Quatre out of there!"

"What? Why? Didn't you see what happened? The kid needs help."

"Yes…But not from there! He needs to be out here. How could I get him out?" A confused expression shows on Amy's face. "You know everyone! Who could I go to, to get him out?"

"Dr. Po I guess. You haven't really made her mad so she may help. Like when pigs fly!"  

"Amy." Hilde says, annoyance dripping from her words.

"No one is going to help you. They are not going to let him out cause you ask! Even if you say 'with sugar on top'!" Hilde crosses her arms over her chest in defiance. She will find a way. Even if it means breaking in and kidnapping him!

"Hilde? Ed is waiting." Says Sarah as she passes by. Hilde moves to her printer and takes the 'Murder Mystery' with her.

"See ya." She says to Amy as she heads out to greet Ed. Amy sighs and decides to get a bite to eat. However, her plans change when she catches a glimpse of someone.

Hilde has been sitting in the café, same as yesterday, for sometime thinking of how to go about this. She feels bad about leaving Quatre but if she can find Duo and tell him _then_ she can worry about Quatre. This way at least they have someone on the outside. But first, how in the hell is she going to find Duo?

"Why hello handsome. Come here often?" Duo freezes when he hears the woman speak. 'Damn my luck.' He curses himself for being caught. Man, will Hilde have a field day with this when she finds out. "Name's Amy? What's yours?" She says sweetly.

"Duo Maxwell." Growls Sarah. Duo pails when he sees his 'girlfriend'. Murder flashes in her eyes as she stares at Duo. Amy steps to the side, away from the crossfire. "I should have known! Jerk, how could you!" Duo looks around for an escape route. "Oh. Don't even think about leaving!"

"Get over it." Exclaims Amy. 

"What? He used me!"

"Yeah? Well that's our lot in life when it comes to relationships with men. Like, look at my first husband…" Duo sees his chance and slips out of the room; leaving Sarah stuck to hear about Amy's ex-husbands. He quietly walks down the hall as to not draw attention to himself. Duo passes by a room where two nurses gossip as they make a bed.

"Kitchen duty for a week?" Gasps one nurse. 

"Yup. Hilde promised to do it if she got another free day today."

"Wow. I guess that's good. Means she wants to finally be out of here."

'Hilde' out?'

"Dammit Duo! Where are you?" Hilde returns to the café after her unsuccessful search for the braided man. She takes a moment to rest as she sits down in a booth. Hilde looks around the café, taking in the surroundings. In the booth in front of her is a woman with thick curly black hair. She yells into her cell phone about how crappy her laptop is and how the tech support (the ones on the other line) are nothing more that a bunch of morons. Across the room is a red haired man typing away on his laptop. His fingers move skillfully across the keyboard. In the next booth is a couple enjoying a cup of coffee. The woman laughs at a joke, almost spilling her coffee. Hilde sighs. These people don't realize that somewhere in their quiet town, an innocent woman is being tortured. She turns her gaze to the line of people waiting to order. Her eyes follow down the line, all the way to the last person; a man with green eyes and brown hair that covers half his face.

"Baby!" She gasps.

"Hello babe."

"DUO!?" She exclaims, getting the attention of _everyone_. He just grins at her, laughing at her with his eyes. 

"How…h-how…where have you been?" She yells at him. Duo putsh is hands up in the air.

"Calm down Hilde babe. You…you where looking for me?" His voice becomes serious. Hilde nods. She takes in a deep breath and readies herself to spill the whole story to him when she sees someone else, a man sitting in a corner booth sipping coffee. He has blond hair and blues eyes. His hair and nails look like they haven't been cut in a year. He's everything 'Author' said he would be. It's AP. But one thing 'Author' failed to detail is the pain in his eyes. The poor man is dead inside.

"Hello? Hilde?"

"So your name is Hilde?" Hilde brakes out of her trance and looks up to see 'Baby' standing by her booth. "I'm Trowa Barton."

Ed walks down the main street in search of Hilde. She is five minutes late, again.

"Where is she? I swear! If she ran away…Shoot! I hope she hasn't. Her parents will kill me!" Then, out of the blue, Hilde comes running down the street with a man close behind her. "HEY!" he yells to get her attention but fails too. Just as he is about to follow her another man pushes him to the side. "Hey!" Yells Ed but the man is gone. "Forget this!"

"Hilde…My knee! I can't…" 

"Come on Duo!" She doesn't know why she ran. I guess it's what she does best when she feels trapped.

"Hey! I want to talk to you!" Talk? Hilde slows down a bit. Maybe he doesn't want to…WHAM! All the air rushes out of her body as she is tackled to the hard sidewalk. Trowa flips her on her back and starts to choke her. Blood can be seen in his eyes. Anger, hatred and pain mix on his handsome face. "Why?" He screams, tears threatening to fall. "WHY!!??"

"I…not…me!" She gasps.

"Hey! Back OFF!" Duo whacks Trowa off Hilde with his cane. Trowa recovers and rushes Duo. However, Duo is ready and fends him off with his cane. Soon Duo has Trowa pinned against a wall with his cane and body. "I said." He growls. "Back off." Both men glare at each other as Hilde catches her breath.

"Stop Duo! Let him go." She gets up but Duo doesn't listen.

"Give me back my sister!"

"Why do you think I took her?" Duo becomes confused. Who is this guy?  And what does Hilde have to do with a missing sister?

"Because…You had her necklace!"

"I found it."

"Yeah? Then how did you know she's missing?" Duo thinks it's a good question and waits with Trowa for her answer. Hilde reaches into her jacket and pulls out the 'Murder Mystery'. She really didn't want to do this. Hilde didn't want him to find out that the sick-o who has his sister is posting everything he has done to her on the web. Unfortunately it has to be done.

"It's all here." She whispers. Duo slowly moves away. Both men look at the papers in her hands. "I'm sorry." She says as he takes the papers, bewildered.

"What is going on Hilde?" Whispers Duo as Trowa reads the 'Murder Mystery'.

"Duo." She sighs. "A friend of mine found this 'Murder Mystery' online. We both have been reading it and yesterday we found out that this 'Murder Mystery' is real! Trowa is a character in this story! His sister really is a victim. I was looking for you so you could help." Trowa slowly slides down the wall, tears fall freely now. He hides his face with the papers. Hilde moves to comfort him. "We don't know where, but he is somewhere in our town, this killer."

"And he has my sister." Hilde hugs Trowa. Duo joins them on the floor. Hilde's words lower him down with their weight.

"Geez." Is the only thing he can say.

"I can't go to the police. They will think I'm insane, seeing how I live in Newberry. And my friend…You do smell like pine!" Both men look at her like she really is insane.

"What?" Trowa says.

"'Author', the guy who writes this, mentioned that you smell like pine!" Hilde takes the papers in search of that line.

"Guess it must be the detergent." Trowa says. Duo just shrugs.

"I don't smell guys." He simply states.

"Here! When Quatre, that's my friend, and I found the necklace. See." She point to the part for them to see. "He talks about us and then moves onto you after we live."

(He stands there. Holding his sister's necklace in his fist. Did she do it? He wonders. Why else did she have it on her? Oh no Baby. It is Killer, the one watching you. And they watch with delight as confusion and then anger cross over your handsome face. 

Killer can't help it, they have to touch him. Slowly they get off their bench and make their way to him. Baby is too preoccupied to know that the captor of his sister stands only a few feet away. 

It's risky but Killer is willing to do it. 

"Are you alright?" Killer asks. Stepping closer. He smells of fresh pine.)

"I…"

"Trowa. Do you remember who that was?" Trowa stands up. So does Hilde and Duo, both eyes on Trowa.

"That woman."

"Woman?" Hilde and Duo say.

"She had a big nose and black curly hair." Suddenly Hilde remembers her as well.

("Hey?" Both look up to see a woman with black thick curly hair that runs untamed down to her midsection. She smiles at them and offers to help. "You ok? You had a nasty fall!" 

"Oh thank you." Says Quatre. Hilde smiles a thank you. She puts the necklace in her pocket.

"No problem young man." The woman turns around and returns to the bench she was sitting at.)

"She was at the café as well." Hilde says.

"What?" All three look around to see if she is near. If she had heard any of this then they are screwed. "There." Trowa says in a low voice. Down the sidewalk the woman casually walks down the sidewalk. Hilde looks at the woman in wonder. Here is the horrible killer, window-shopping! Luckily for them she is far away so she couldn't have heard them.

"We have to go to the police." Duo says quickly.

"No. They will only mess things up. We need her to lead us to where my sister is."

"Right. But first I need to get Quatre."

"Why?" 

"He needs to be a part of this. The only reason he started reading this." She holds up the papers. "Is to find closer to his own pain. I think he lost his family to a killer."

"Hilde…"

"Come on Duo! Look. You have a cell phone?" Duo says no but Trowa pulls his out. "OK. Duo you go follow her. And Trowa. Find AP. Tell him and get him to help us." They both nod in agreement. "I'll find you some how!" She turns and runs down the street.

"By the way. I'm Duo Maxwell." 

"Trowa Barton."

"Good. Now lets go!"

Clare Griffin, 'Author', looks at a pretty dress in a window. She wonders how she would look in it.

"Another day." She says. Clare turns to look toward Trowa, her 'baby', but finds him gone. She looks around but he is nowhere to be seen. Neither is the other two that he was chasing. The girl, called Hilde if she remembers, called Trowa 'Baby'. She comes to a stop. Does she know? Has she been reading the story online? She must have! How else could she have found… 'No. I'm safe.'

Dr. Po takes out her car keys as she heads for lunch. She is about to unlock her car when she sees someone in the reflection of her car's window.

"Hello Dr. Po." Sally drops her keys in shock. "I think it's time we talk."

"Hello Hilde." 


	6. V

Chapter V 

"Dr. Po. I need to ask you something."  Sally picks up her car keys and leans on her car. She crosses her arms over her chest, swinging her keys around a finger.

"Ok. What is it." Hilde runs a hand through her hair, gathering her thoughts.

"I need you to get Quatre out."

"Out? From here?"

"From the 'Resort'."

"That's what I meant." Sally looks at the young woman. Her eyes plea with a deep sorrow. Something is wrong.

"Hilde. What's wrong?" Sally says as she uncrosses her arms.

"You have to understand that everything Quatre has said is true!"

"Oh." Sally had a session with him just today and he ranted on and on about an online 'Murder Mystery' that is in fact real. But what Sally saw was Quatre's past bubbling up and this 'Murder Mystery' is the source. "Hilde do you know why Quatre is here?"

"No. I never asked."

"Well, I believe that his little episode is due to…"

"Episode! Is that what you people call it?"

"Hilde, calm down!"

"NO!" She yells. "Quatre did NOT have an 'episode'. He had an attack! Something from his past was brought up because of this 'Murder Mystery'! Yes, that's true. But didn't you people ever wonder why it hadn't happened earlier?" Sally shakes her head. "Well let me tell you why!" Hilde jabs Sally in the chest. "Because the poor kid found out that what he was reading. That somewhere out there, some poor kid is going to lose the only family he has! Just like him!" Suddenly it all fits.

(She remembers Dr. Une, the head doctor at Newberry, telling her that some people find comfort in reading or seeing others in situations they have experience. "Quatre?") 

("I was coming home from school." He says quietly. Tears rim his eyes. "I-I came home and . . ." Hilde places the papers down and hugs her dear friend.) 

"Just like him." She whispers. Tears fill her eyes as she looks to Sally. She nods, telling Hilde all she needs to know. "Oh . . . Quatre."

"Hilde. Now you see why it's all in his head . . . " SLAP. Hilde has had it. No more Miss Nice Hilde, it's time to get down to business.

"OK Dr. Po. I'm only going to explain this ONCE!" She stands closer to the shocked doctor. "So listen up."

**************************************

Duo slouches in his booth. He is becoming to hate this café. The woman is just watching people! Typing away on her laptop of doom (Named by him) and drinking coffee. Duo leans a little out of his booth to look at the woman. She is about 5'6 and has a large nose that she has a habit of pinching the bridge of. Her hair is a mess of black thick curls that runs untamed down to her midsection. She wares a brown sweater jacket with an olive green dress and a black turtleneck. How can this woman be responsible for these crimes? He sighs and continues to fold his napkins in to origami, a hobby he picked up after his father died . . . in jail. Duo thinks about Hilde. He doesn't understand why she gave up. She seemed so strong. If anything were going to ever happen to her, he would have bet his life that she would of picked herself up and punch whatever was responsible for her fall. But no, she fell and used the thing that made her fall to build a nice little home. Away from her family, friends and him. He'll admit it. He does like her, a lot. The people that say the only reason someone picks on you because they like you where right. He thought Hilde was the prettiest girl he ever saw! And he was in third grade. And Hilde is a damned fool if she can't figure that out. Why do you think he stands out there all the time? For the hell of it? No. He wants his Hilde back.

**************************************

Trowa reaches his hand into a hole in a tree. He feels around for a note left by Killer for AP. Nothing.

"Looking for this?" Says a deep voice. 

"Shit." Trowa is flipped around and crushed against the tree.

"Yeah, you are in DEEP shit mister."

"Stop! I . . . not . . .  me!"

"Yeah? Then what the hell are you doing?" 

"My sister. Gone too!" AP lets up some. He looks at Trowa, distrust evident. 

"Really?"

"Yes. I know who took her. The same person who killed your sister."

"How?"

"Pocket. Back pocket!" AP takes the papers with one hand, the other on Trowa's neck.

"What the hell is this?" The presser becomes tighter around his neck.

"Can't . . . breath . . ." AP gives on last squeeze, a warning, before letting go. "The killer, she writes it all down and posts it on some website. God, she gets reviews!"

"A website?"

"Yeah, it's fan something net. I can't remember."

"Then how did you find it?"

**************************************

"I have no idea." Says Hilde as she pulls on the seatbelt. "Quatre somehow stumbled on it."

"Hilde! Do you now what this means? If this is not true?" Sally starts the car. She has no idea why, but she feels that what Hilde has just told her is true but that can only get them so far. "We'll all going to burn. You'll both be kept at the 'Resort' and I'll lose my job!"

"Dr. Po. Just think if we're right. We'll be saving a life! Maybe more! And just think. You would have saved a life without giving them pills. Or shots!" Sally looks to the back seat. In a little case sits her kit. If this is real, she'll need them.

"Ok. I have my laptop and we can use my phone to get Internet." She drives down the short road to the 'Resort'. "I need you to hide while I get Quatre. Ok?" Hilde nods as Sally pulls up to the 'Resort'. "Wish me luck."

"Good Luck."

**************************************

"That's why? Because she smiles all the time. Even when someone made fun of her because of her learning disability? They killed my sister because she was 'simple'!"

"Yeah, and she took my sister because Catherine flirts with guys. And I only talk to her."

"She? It's a woman?!"

"Yes, I don't know her name but I have someone following her. They will give me a call when she leads them to her hideout." AP nods. Both men become engross in their thoughts, wondering what will happen when they get the chance to get close to this woman. Can they let justice take place or will their anger take over.

"My names Peter Heath."

"Trowa Barton."

"My sister's name was Emily. . ." He takes a deep breath. "Look. I'm going to go get my van. I have some 'tools' in there that might come in handy." Trowa nods. Peter takes out an old business card and writes a number. "Here's my cell. Call me when anything comes up." Peter hands over the card as he leaves. Trowa looks at what was given to him. He flips it over to read it:

Heath Bakery 

Where the secret ingredient is love 

101 Pine St, PA 

This man had dreams.

**************************************

Hilde sits in Sally's car humming a song to herself. She wonders how everyone else is doing as she looks to the clock. Dr. Po has only been gone for ten minuets. She'll be maybe five more minuets. 

"Hilde! Unlock the car!" Hilde sits up to see Sally and Quatre running out the building. Close behind them are three guards.

"Shit!" Unlocking the doors Hilde prepares for the collision. Sally and Quatre both slam open their door and jump in, closing it just in time to have the guards slam right into them. "What ever happen to your plan?"

"Shut up!" She turns on the car and precedes to speed down the road.

"It went out the window when she freaked." Says Quatre.

"Shut up. I didn't 'freak'! I merely had a change of mind." 

"Right." Hilde says in disbelief. "I'm just happy you got him out."

"Yeah, ok. So where do we go now?

"Uh . . ."

"UH!" Sally yells at Hilde. "You don't know where to go?"

"I don't know! The park! No the café!"

"Ok."

"NO! The park, go there!" Says Quatre. "She watches people in the café and everything takes place in the park. So go there."

Trowa looks around the park, in search of the woman. All he sees is happy people, people in there own little world. Is he in the real world? How can people go through life not knowing that something like this is happening? But, he was once like them. While Peter's sister was being killed he was at home with his sister, in his own little world. How blind we are. Yet it's not our fault, only when we choose to ignore it.

Trowa stops his search when his cell goes off. He takes it out and answers it.

"Hello?"

"She's moving."

**************************************

Sally, Hilde and Quatre run to the park. They had to park the car far away so it won't be found. As Sally runs she sets up her phone to the Internet.

"Quatre. Give me the cable. No. The green one." Quatre holds her laptop bag as he runs. He looks for what she wants and gives it to her once found. "Thanks."

"There!" Hilde says. "That's Trowa!" Hilde runs to him s Sally and Quatre run to a near by bench. Once seated Sally goes to the site.

"Trowa!" Hilde smiles as she sees the man. He turns at the voice and gives a soft smile.

"Hey. Duo just called."

**************************************

"Hey, she updated." Says Quatre. They open the chapter.

"Are all the chapters this short?" Quatre shakes his head no.

"She's writing about today. See Raven must be Hilde and Mutt must be Duo."

"Hilde! Come over here! She's updated." Hilde and Trowa walk over to them.

"Really? So soon?"

"Yeah, where is Duo?"

"Hopefully not following her." Says Sally.

"Actually, he is. Why?" Sally says nothing as she turns the screen to them.

**************************************

(Killer hates strays. They get into your business and leave messes everywhere. They are a waste of space. Much like the one sitting across from Killer. He has a stupid grin and hair that belongs on a girl. He thinks Killer doesn't know he's watching. He thinks Killer is just taking a stroll down the street. But what he doesn't know that Killer is leading him to his end. It's time to put this mutt down.) 


	7. VI

Chapter VI 

"God, Duo." Hilde covers her mouth in attempt to stifle a scream. Trowa pats her back in support.

"Trowa?" Quatre says in a soft voice. It's very odd for him to be talking to a man who he thought was just an imaginary character. "How did Duo call you?"

"By a payphone in the café."

"Just now?"

"No. About five minutes ago. I've been waiting for AP."

"He could be anywhere in this town!" Says Hilde as she looks around the outer edge of the park, along with Quatre.

"AP?" Says Sally.

"His real name is Peter Heath. He should be here soon."

"Yes, but what about Duo! Did he say where he was going?" Trowa shakes his head 'no'. "Damn him! How are we going to find him?" Everyone becomes quiet. Hilde paces as the silence starts to get to her. "I can't take it! We need to move, we need to do something! Right now Duo is following that bitch to his death and soon we'll have cops looking all over the place for us! We can't get caught before we find Duo! They'll never believe us!'

"Hilde! Getting worked up won't save him! Please calm down."

"I can't! I can't lose Duo!" All eyes turn to a very red Hilde. Sally smirks at her as Quatre just shakes his head as the truth finally comes out. Trowa looks to the streets, wondering where Peter is.

************************************

Peter Heath. A man who had hopes that one day he would have a family of his own and had dreams of turning his parents' little bakery into something big. 

Peter Heath. Now a man with only his pain as his family and the death of his sister's killer his only dream.

He looks into the tall mirror that stands on the wall opposite his motel bed. He runs a hand through his washed and cut hair. He then inspects his newly cut nails, amazed at how painful it was to have them long.  Once done he looks at his suit, it's the same one he wore at his sister's funeral. Satisfied with his appearance he leaves the motel. 

It's time to met Emily's killer.

************************************

Duo follows the woman down the street, counting how many minutes it has been since the last payphone he saw.

("I knew I should have called. But no! I thought I'd fine one later.") Duo curses himself for his stupidity. He knows she probable is guessing he is following her. They have long since left the town and are now walking in to a residential area. ("Good. At least she can't kill me with people around.") Yet, there is something wrong with this area. Duo looks around. Sure all the homes look the same but something isn't right. Suddenly Duo comes to a stop. It's quiet, too quiet for a residential area. Not even the birds are singing. There's no wind, no sound. Duo looks into the window of the house closest to him. ("Empty!") He looks around him. All the homes are empty.

Suddenly, Clare stops.

************************************

Hilde, Quatre and Sally decided that it would be best if each stood at a different end of the park. But not too far from each other, just enough that maybe the cops, that are scouting the area, may not see them. Trowa has run off saying something about a Van but nothing matters to Hilde right now. She pretends to be on a payphone talking to Duo.

"How could you do something so stupid? Ya bum." Deep down the fear of having to wake up everyday knowing that she wouldn't see that braided idiot makes her sick. She grips the phone in both hands as she steadies it to her ear. "God I feel like such a fool." Hilde looks around for the other but she can't see them. Lifting her head up more to review the area she still doesn't see them. She returns to hiding behind the phone, suddenly feeling alone.

Screech.

A van comes to a sudden stop beside her and she is pulled in before she can see who it is.

"Holly fuc . . . Trowa?!" Inside the van is Trowa, who moves back to the front and Quatre and Sally working on the laptop. Driving is a tall man with Blond hair. Hilde wonders. Is this clean-shaven man AP? 

"That's Hilde." Trowa simple states. The man glances at her.

"Peter Heath. Also know as AP." Hilde just nods, a little dazed from being pulled so quickly into the van.

This Van is rather large and holds enough guns and weapons to supply a small mob. Hilde also sees pictures of a girl see knows from Author's description. The girl has a bright smile in every picture. Hilde reaches to touch the picture. Suddenly a new hatred for pictures over comes her. Here they tease us with the fact that they hold our loved ones. They will never age them. Never change them. Keeping them in memory we wish to return to but never will. This must drive Peter crazy.

"Author loves to see blood spill on white tile. So all we need to do it find a place with white tile?" The uncertain voice of Quatre wakes Hilde from her trance.

"Quatre." Comes Sally's voice of reason. "That's like looking for a place with doors! It can be any where!"

"My motel has white tile in the bathroom." Says Peter. Trowa nods in agreement.

"Riverside?" Trowa says the name of the motel.

"Yeah. Riverside."

"Well, my hotel has the same tile in the bathroom as well." 

"You're staying in a hotel?" Says Hilde to Sally.

"Yeah, I was going to buy a townhouse but the contractors lost their license due to workers drinking while on the job. That was a month ago! No one has returned to continue. Jerks. I need a home! They had like a week to be done or something?"

"You mean the homes are up?" Says Quatre.

"Yeah, just not finished. You know. Empty." Hilde and Quatre look at each other, both knowing what is going through each other's head. 

"Do you think she's there?" Says Quatre.

"Crap." Says Peter. "There's a road block." Cops are checking for the escapees a few cars a head of them. "Tell me where to go guys!"

"N-no! The motel! Go there. She'll want to be close to Baby." Says Hilde.

"Right but . . ." 

"Look. Either we turn around to where the motel is or we go striate, through the roadblock. Which is it? The motel or the townhouses?" The air grows thick.

************************************

Duo looks at the killers back. She had stopped when he did. Duo licks his lips as he tries to think of something. There has to be a phone around here. Right?

Clare closes her eyes. She softly hums to herself as she thinks of a way to end this mutt's life. Should she lead him to her Test? Or deep into the woods were his corpse could feed the earth? So many options, so little time before his friends come. That is if they come. She tilts her head back as the ideas pour into her head. Her eyes flash open.

She needs to get that cane away from him.

Duo is about to give up hope when suddenly a ray of light shines him a break. Down the road is the Model Home! The one house that has everything, even a phone. He looks to the woman again. All he needs to do is walk past her. Luckily the house is on the other side of the street. Taking one last glance at the woman he crosses over. As he walks down the street he tries to keep her in view. Slowly he walks and slowly the woman's face appears. His breath gets caught in his throat. She's looking at him. They stare at each other for a few seconds. 

He breaks into a run.

She follows.

Duo pushes his body as far as it can go. There is no way in HELL that he is going to die by her hands. He has to make it to the house! Her has to call for help. He comes closer but his knee feels like it might give. But he can feel the woman closing in and that is enough to push him to overdrive. Duo flies up the stairs and slams into the door. It's locked! Not for long. One more body slam and the door in unlocked. Duo runs in and slams the door on the woman. She lets out a cry as it hits her face. Duo enters the kitchen and sees the phone! He grabs it and dials 911, the only number he can think of right now. 

Clear enters to find the man dialing the phone. A feral smile crosses her lips. She cut the lines a long time ago. 

Duo becomes aware of this when she enters. He swallows his fear and faces the woman. It's now or never. Time to kick some ASS! Duo raises his cane, telling her he isn't afraid to hit a woman.

"What? Going to hit me? Go ahead. Show me how MAN you are."

"Lady, I don't give a shit what you think. Just know that if you come near me I'll . . ." Clare tackles him to the ground. While Duo comes back from the shock she grabs the phone and starts to bash his face in. However, Duo's cane gives him some protection. He manages to push her off, sending her flying to the floor. Duo stands but is struck down as Clare swings the phone to his bad knee. Hitting the ground with a thud, Duo loses his cane. Clare jumps on his back and continues her assault. Of course, there is nothing wrong with Duo's back. With one swift movement she is off of him, giving Duo the edge. He stands over her, blood dripping down his face making a small splatter design on the white title floor. Clare covers her face with her arm, a sign of defeat. Duo however, knows better. He grabs Clare and raises her off the ground.

"Where is she?" He growls, mostly from pain. "The girl you call 'Test'?"

"H-help." Came a weak reply. Yet the words did not come from Clare. The drifted up the stares from the basement. Duo glances over his shoulder at the open basement door behind him. Unfortunately for Duo, that glace gave Clare just enough time to kick out her legs sending him down the very stairs he was looking at. Yet, Clear did not realize just how good a hold Duo had on her. Both tumble down the stairs, landing in a heap of mess. You see the stairs are and 'L' shape. They come strait down then make a left turn. In front of the first base, before the second set of stairs, is the basement bathroom and there the voice speaks again.

"God . . . Please help me!" Duo slowly gets up. That fall may have broken a few bones. He looks down at the passed out woman before making his way to the bathroom. Duo is not prepared for what awaits him. 

"Ah man." Duo tries to keep his stomach calm. Lying in front of him is the mangled body of Trowa's sister. She has one good eye, the other is swollen shut, a split lip and it looks like every bone in her body is broken or bruised. Her hair is shaved on her right side and the rest sticks to her head by the dry blood.  Her arms are bound behind her and her ankles are tied as well. She lies on the white title floor, tears of joy springing forth. "Hey, uh, let me find something to cut you free."

"Here's something!" Clare, while Duo was preoccupied with Catherine, has gone to her little tool set near the stairs.

"Crap!"  The cold metal burns his flesh as it enters his back. He grips the doorframe, preventing himself from falling on Catherine. Clare stabs again. Catherine can only watch in horror as her only sign of hope is being stabbed over and over . . .

************************************

"They are right behind us!" Yells Quatre. Peter swears under his breath as he hears that for the 100th time.

"Well, at least we're here." Says Sally.

"Yeah but where do we go? Where is Duo?!" Says Hilde as she looks out the small side window. Trowa, at front, sees that the house with a banner saying "Model Home" has its door busted open.

"There! To that house. Get us as close as you can!"

"Can do." Peter speeds up to the front yard of the house. Coming to a sudden stop they all jump out. "You all better be right!" Says Peter as he runs to the house. But they aren't fast enough. The cops saw what they where doing and already sent men out. They tackle Peter and Trowa down, slam Sally to the van, corner Quatre and hold Hilde. 

************************************

Clare hears the yelling outside and stops her attack on Duo. She looks out the small window to see AP and Baby being tackled to the ground. Duo is on his knees, still gripping the doorframe. The world around him is but a blur. His head is swimming in pain yet he still gets up. He may not be able to see strait but he sure can feel the stairs. Slowly, Duo climes them.

************************************

"Let me go!" yells Hilde. She kicks and screams as the police try to move her to one of their cars. "Damn you all! She's in there! She'll kill them both! I know she is. Look! Damn you look!" All the anger and frustration get to her. 

Hilde finally snaps.

She kicks the cop in front of her and twists around to punch the other. The cops that have Quatre rush to aid their friends, leaving only one to watch him. Quatre looks as he sees his friend fight not only for her life but also for Duo and that poor girl. But what if they are wrong? What if Author is really at the motel? Quatre looks over to the house and all doubt leaves his mind. There looking out the basement window is Author.

"Shit! Somebody help!" The cop holding Peter down says as he sees a bloody figure stumble out the front door. Everything stops has Duo slowly steps down the stairs and then fall to the soft grass of the front yard. Hilde pushes free and runs to Duo. She screams when she sees his bloody back. Hilde kneels down not knowing what to do. Tears stream down her face as she hovers a hand above his head, afraid to touch him. Quatre's cop rushes to Hilde's side as the others follow suite. One goes to call for help. 

For Quatre, when he saw Author's face in the window and Duo coming out, it was like he had been transported back to that day. That every day he returned home.

(Quatre stands in his front yard, staring at the busted door. Should he go in? Why is it so quiet? Mom? Dad? He moves up the stairs with caution. The air is cold in the house. 

He walks to the kitchen. There has been a fight of some sort. 

Blood. It leads a path to the basement. 

Quatre begs his body not to go but it won't have that. He follows the blood path down the stairs. He counts as he hits each stair.

1 

2

3

4

5

6

7

Turn to the left.

8

9

10

11

12

13

Floor.

He sees his parent's bodies beaten and stabbed to death. Their blood mixes in a pool, slowly drying around the edges. He hears a sound behind him. Quatre turns and sees the killer.)

"Why hello? Come to save your little friend?" Says Clare. Quatre only stares. "Well?" She yells, holding a knife with Duo's blood smeared on it. "Answer me boy!" She rushes up to him, waving the knife in the air. Clare stops just in front of him. He only stares at her with glossed over eyes. She waves a hand in front of him. Nothing. The sounds of heavy footsteps make Clare look up.

"Damn it all." She mutters. WHAM! Clare is sent flying to the floor. She is down and out. Quatre still holds out his fist, even after he punched her, till the cops come running down.

"Damn. They were right!" Says one cop. "Hey! Tell the medics to come down here we have two more. Looks like one girl that went through hell and the other has a broken nose and got the snot beaten out of her."

"Hey kid?" Says another cop to Quatre. "You ok?"

"Yeah." He says, finally lowering his arm. "I'm great."

One year later

"Hey Duo! We only got 39 jumpsuits! What should we do? Send them back?"

"Ah! I knew they would cheat us out! No! I'll call them and ask. It's just one missing." Jack nods and returns to recount to new jumpsuits for Maxwell Auto. He started this company along time ago but now that his actions are even more limited he has been spending more time with it. Which is great! His little auto shop has never seen better days!

"Oooh! My back." Duo takes a moment to rest. Even after a year he still has to go to physical training for the shit his back went through. Good thing Clear wasn't really strong, or he really would be in a lot of trouble (of course Duo believes it's because he has a strong back that saved him.). Duo sighs as he thinks back to what happened. He woke up in the hospital to find that Clare was going to trial and Catherine was making a recovery. Duo was in a coma for a week. He was glad it was all over and happy to see that Trowa and Peter found their peace. "So did Quatre." Duo and Quatre have been writing letters about once a month. Two letters before the last, Quatre said he was being released and that he was going to help work on his family company. Also, he has been keeping tabs on Peter and Trowa both. Peter returned to his bakery and is seeing someone and Trowa is working for a branch of Quatre's company to help his sister who is currently in a wheelchair. He even heard from Dr. Po! She got promoted and is now currently working with a new doctor. She said something about him being from China. It's all good news to hear from them but the one person he really wants is still back at Newberry.

("Hey babe." Duo says as he wakes up from his nap. Hilde sits in a seat next to his bed. Outside the room is Ed.

"Hey your self. Doing ok?"

"Yeah. But the pudding here sucks."

"Silly, that's Jello."

"Well that explains it!" 

"Duo, why did you do all the things you did outside my window?"

"I wanted you to remember."

"What? That I can't have ice cream?"

"Yeah." She gives him an odd look. "And that you could only have it if you came out."

"Duo . . ."

"Hilde, let me talk." He says in a stern voice. "I understand you weren't ready to become a doctor. I know what's it like to build your whole life up to something and then have it crushing down on you. I have been there too! It's just . . . I thought out of the both of us you would have beaten it. Yet you didn't. I was so mad at you. Because when I had my fall I looked to you. I said "Dammit Duo. Don't let her beat you! You can make it." Hilde you made me wrong."

"I'm sorry!" She yells. "But I . . . I didn't believe in myself. I still don't. You don't understand."

"Hey!" He says, getting her attention. "Wanted to be in baseball. You know that? I had this whole idea that I would go a play for the real game and leave my father! But all that changed, right when he got the bright idea to beat me! Why do you think I walk with a limp? For the hell of it? No! My knee will never be the same! I will never play baseball but do you see me just sitting around? I went out and worked! And you know what?" Hilde stays silent. "I found out that baseball wasn't for me after all. That I liked fixing things, working with my hands. Maybe if you got out there you'll find something you want to do." Ed taps on the window and Hilde stands. She walks over to him, giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"Thanks Duo.")

That was nine months ago. She still hasn't left. Duo wonders if she ever will leave. Oh well, he has work to do. He'll worry about it like he always does after work. Duo, picking up a clipboard, walks over to a car to do the final inspection. He walks around the car and checks things out. Duo would have checked things off the clipboard if it hasn't just been taken from him.

"Hey!" He yells at the young worker. They have a cap on and one of the new jumpsuits. Duo tries to lean down to look under the cap but his back won't let him. "Now who in the hell are you?" He grabs the cap and nearly has a heart attack!

"BOO!" Duo takes a few steps back.

"H-Hilde?!"

"Miss me?" She says as she hands him the clipboard.

"Aw babe!" He drops the clipboard and pulls her into a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing really." She kisses his nose. "Just wanted to know if you'd give me a job?"

"Oh really?"

"Yup. I don't know what I can do but I'm great with numbers!"

"Hey, you got it." Duo leans closer to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. "I sure missed you."

"Same here." They hold each other for a long time. Happy to be together at last. The nightmare is over and now they can move on. Together.

"Hey. You still owe me a flash!"

"Duo!" 

"What? A guy can ask right?"

"Ah, silly."


End file.
